Old Tricks
by hawkeyesbutt
Summary: The child who could deceive others with his magick and shape-shifting; could even fool his own adopted brother that he was another person entirely. Thorki, slash in later chapters. Also fem!Loki later on. I hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

A boy stood on the edge of the cliff. He held his face up to the sky, letting the wind wash over him refreshingly. A smile broke out onto his face, his emerald eyes lighting up. He held his arms out, embracing the wind, feeling it slide around his body and throwing itself softly against the boy's green cape. His black hair blew up wildly in the breeze, the happiness almost radiating from him. He turned around, seeing his older brother walking towards him. The boy smiled to his brother, earning a grin in return. The boy edged backwards to the edge of the cliff slightly, unnoticeably. His smile changed to a devilish grin, his mischievous pale face which planted anxieties in anyone's stomach. His brothers brow furrowed, confusion spreading over his face as he tried to work out what his brother was up to.

"Watch this, Thor." The younger one spoke, before jumping back into the abyss.

"NO!" Thor ran to the edge, just in time to see his younger brother transform into a raven and swoop up into the sky. Thor sighed in exasperation; he was used to his younger brother's tricks, but he had never gone this far. The raven swooped down beside him and changed back to his brother. "Brother, you… How did you learn to shape shift like that so quickly? It took you longer the last time I watched you try."

His brother grinned again, his face flushed from the excitement. "I've been practising while you have been working with father."

"Your magick is certainly impressive, Loki. How many animals can you transform into now?"

Loki paused, counting on his fingers. "7, so far. I might try and transform my own features, make myself into something new."

"Why on Asgard would you do that?" Thor stared at his brother, confused again. Loki rolled his eyes, looking up at his stronger but dumber brother.

"I don't like my appearance very much Thor... I don't look like either mother or father. Why do you think that is?" Loki sat down on a large rock, crossing his legs and curling his black hair behind his ear.

"Brother, you are just like me! Are you doubting that you yourself are not the child of mother and father?"

"No, brother, of course not! I just wondered… You, mother and father, you all have glowing golden skin and blonde hair. You and father have strong muscular builds; what have I? I have but a pearl complexion with the hair of a raven itself. I have a slender body and even our eye colours do not match. You are faced with eyes bluer than the great lake of Nazariki. Once again, I am faced with the eyes of a deadly snake, piercing and green. Brother, we are nothing alike."

Thor looked down at his feet. Loki's knowledge made sense, but Thor couldn't find an answer anywhere… "Loki, I am sure you are my brother. Why would our parents tell us otherwise?" Thor laughed then, jumping up and holding his hand out to Loki. Loki took it and was pulled up beside his brother. "Are you excited for your celebrations, dear brother?"

"What celebrations do you speak of?"

"Your birth celebrations, of course! They are but hours away! We must head back now so we are in time for the feast!" Thor jumped up and down excitedly.

"Only you would be more excited about the food than your own brother aging up." They both chuckled, Thor hitting Loki on the back.

"Of course not, brother! Volstagg would take the entire feast over celebrating anyone's birth."

"That is true." Loki smiled. "I cannot believe I will be the age 14; it is intriguing to say so."

"One day you will be the age I am now and you will feel even more intrigued."

"Thor, you are but merely 2 years older than I am."

"Hush, brother. Let us get ready."


	2. Chapter 2

As the brothers stepped inside the palace, they watched as the servants ran around clearing up and setting up decorations and food. Thor patted his brother on his back. "I must speak with father, I will see you at the celebrations." He pulled his brother into a hug, before releasing and leaving. As the warmth from his brother's body left his, Loki was overcome with the supressed sadness. He didn't feel in the mood for celebrating. He didn't feel special enough to have a celebration. Absent minded, he went to his mother's room where he found her applying various powders to her face, dressed in her finest clothes. She spotted Loki in the doorway and beckoned him inside. He came inside and greeted his mother with an embrace. His mother could sense that his youngest son wasn't in the brightest of moods.  
"Dearest child, what have got you so forlorn?" Loki sat beside her on her huge bed. He sighed, looking up at his mother. "Today is a day of celebrations! You should not look so distraught on a day like this."  
"But mother, as happy as I am to be aging up to 14, I still feel this, this sadness in my chest." He looked at his feet again. "Because I'm different."  
"What do you mean, Loki?" His mother sounded concerned, if not worried.  
"I mean, I'm different. It's obvious how much I stick out from the family. You, father and Thor – you can see the likeness between you all by your striking features. But then beside you is the youngest child, who looks so different and strange from the rest of the family. That child is me. I don't understand why I don't look like you or father."  
The tears welled up in his eyes and he looked back up to his mother. He caught the glimpse of regret resting in her eyes, before it was swept away and replaced with pity. "My dear boy, the physical features are not what make a family related; it is the heart inside you. We Odinson's have hearts full of fire and bravery. What do you feel in your heart?" She signalled this by putting her own hand to her heart.  
Loki copied her, his hand trembling as he pulled away. "I feel ice…" He whispered. "And mischief."

Loki's mother told him it was time to get ready for the celebrations, so he bounded off back to his own room. The mother of Loki and Thor sighed, unsure of how long the secret would last before Loki found out his true heritage.  
Loki opened the door to his room to find a present wrapped in a gold box placed onto his bed. He opened it tenderly, surprised to find inside to find a selection of golden armour, including a helmet with huge horns on the top. Loki smiled to himself; his new armour which he was to cherish. He changed quickly, adjusting to the weight of the armour, taking a quick look in the back of a silver goblet at his reflection. Before the feast, he would receive a speech from one of his family, before receiving a round of applause. Once again, he felt as a wave of sadness hit him. He sat down on the bed, his head in his hands. Would his parents lie to him like that, for all these years? Tell him he was one of theirs, when in fact he had a completely different heritage? The questions swam around in Loki's head, taking over every other emotion. Suddenly the sadness was pulling him under, drowning him, and he found himself crying again. He lay down on his bed, clutching at his sheets and pillows, trying to understand the emotions he felt. He heard a loud knock on the door and sat up, drying his eyes. Thor opened the door and stepped inside, his smile falling as soon as he caught Loki's expression. "Loki, what's wrong?" Loki shakes his head, but Thor sits down beside him, wrapping an arm around his younger brother. Loki rested his head against his brother's shoulder in defeat.  
"Loki?"  
"I'm sorry, I just… I can't get over the idea that mother and father are lying to me." Thor hugs his brother tighter, kissing the top of his head.  
"Oh brother, you and your daft ideas."  
"I spoke with mother and she gave me no answer. What does that tell you?" Loki whispered.  
"It tells me that you are an Odinson, you should believe that in your heart and not in your looks." Thor looked down at his brother. Loki stared back up.  
"What do you feel in your heart?" Loki asked, his own heart beating faster.  
"I feel fire, of course! I feel the bravery of a warrior. Like every Odinson should! What do you feel, brother?"  
Loki looked down at his feet, sighing at finding the same answer as before. "I feel ice, Thor. Ice and mischief, and I feel even more cut off from our family than before." Loki stood up, heading towards the door. He turned around and faced Thor. "Come along, I would rather get the celebrations over and done with."  
Thor stood up beside him, accompanying him to the Balcony of the palace that overlooked the entire kingdom. "Do try to cheer up, dear brother. Why not play a trick on an innocent servant?"  
Loki grinned slightly, spying one from across the room. He was carrying a huge plate covered in fruits. With a small flick of his fingers, the fruits transformed into mice, running off of the edge of the plate and onto the servant. The servant let out a yelp in horror and Loki and Thor watched from afar, laughing at Loki's trickery. "I suppose that has cheered me up, if only a little bit."  
Thor grinned. "Now, let us celebrate your birth!"


	3. Chapter 3

Thor had gone up to the royal table where his mother and father sat. As Loki entered the quiet room, his armour shining brightly in the candle light, the whole room burst into cheering. Loki smiled slightly as he walked forward up to the point he had stood at many times before. He looked up at the table with his family, waiting for one to stand up to give their speech. Every year it had to be a different person; last year it had been his mother, the year before had been his father. Loki supposed it would have been Thor's turn. Unsurprisingly, his brother stood up with a massive grin on his face. "People of Asgard," he started, looking around the room at the guests. "We are here today for a very special reason. My brother, Loki Odinson, has turned 14 years of age." Despite being 16 himself, Thor was extremely good at public speaking, sounding like a king already. "We, our family, have given him his first set of armour this year, and what a fine set it is. Today, we honour him with..." The speech went on and on, Loki only half listening. He regained full attention when Thor spoke his name again. "Loki is my brother, no matter what; I will always love him deeply. As they say on Midgard, 'happy birthday!'" Loki smiled and walked up the steps to the table and to his brother, where he gripped him in a right hug. Now Loki had to speak, the last few words.

"Let the feast begin!" He said clearly, only just getting the sentence out before the guests started applauding and cheering. Everyone sat down to eat their meal, chewing hungrily on the many selections of meat, fruit and bread and laughing together. Loki, on the other hand, sat with his head resting on his hand, his food untouched. He sighed deeply. The room was so loud and all he wanted was to get away and be somewhere quieter. He stood up, suddenly, whispering that he needed fresh air into his mother's ear before dashing off. Thor noticed Loki slipping out the door, and decided to investigate. He followed his younger brother back to his bedroom, standing outside the door. He listened to the quiet noises his brother made. Shuffling, sniffling and muffled crying.

Inside the room, Loki lay on his bed, crying for the third time in a day. Suddenly he sat up, catching his reflection in the mirror. He looked ghastly, his red eyes sticking out against his pale skin. Slowly he walked over to his mirror, placing a hand on it delicately. He closed his eyes, imagining himself with blonde hair and blonde eyes, darker skin and more muscular. When he opened his eyes, he was shocked. In his reflection, he saw the person he had imagined. "Oh my," he muttered. He definitely looked different. He turned around in a full circle taking it in. "Thor, come in I know you're outside."

Thor walked in, a cheeky grin on his face. The smile was washed off as soon as he saw his younger brother.

"Loki? Is that you?"

"Of course it is, brother. Look at me. I did this, I changed it. Now I am an Odinson."

"Loki..."

"Yes?"

"I don't like it. You're not you."

"But Thor I look like I could actually pass as part of the family now-"

"You ARE part of the family, no matter what you look like. Change back."

"No."

"Then I'll have to make you."

"How are you gonna do that?"

"By... Tickling." Just then, Thor lunged. He brought Loki down to the floor, the younger bursting into fits of laughter as his brother tickled him relentless. The blonde hair began to grow dark again; the eyes back to a venomous green. His skin turned back to the normal pale white, and his muscles shrunk to make him look like himself again.

Unfortunately for Thor, he had not won for much longer, as his younger brother shrunk in his arms down to a snake, slithering out of his grasp. "Loki, that is not fair!"

"Since when did I play fair, brother?" The snake hissed, transforming back into Loki.

Thor chuckled. "Fair point." He looked over at his brother, back to his normal state. He walked up to him, placing a ham on his cheek. "You really should believe in your looks you know, Loki." Thor smiled. "I think you are beautiful and you shouldn't have to change for anyone." Loki had to refrain himself from blushing.

"Thank you, brother." He reminded Thor. "I suppose we must go back?"

"That was the idea."

"You go; I want to fly around the grounds first. My head is spinning from the noise in there."

"Alright brother, do not delay too long."

As soon as Thor left, Loki shrunk back onto his bed. He took a few deep breaths before standing up and heading to the window. From there, he transformed into the beautiful shape of a raven, spreading his wings and flying around the grounds. The air felt so soft on his feathers, it really was delightful. How would he find out if he belonged to the family or not? He circled the skies, trying to find answers. "Oh!" He gasped, falling from the sky from a few meters. "Of course! How could I have been so blind?" He stood up, cleaning himself off in his now human form, before heading back to the feast.


	4. Chapter 4

He re-entered the hall to find that both his parents had been muttering to each other. They stopped immediately once he approached. Thor smiled up at him, gesturing for him to return to his seat beside him. Loki sat down in the middle of Thor and his mother, turning to Thor. He bent forward, pulling Thor in to whisper in his ear. "I have an idea."

The celebrations continued on into the night and after being flirted with by a number of Asgardian girls (and boys, for that matter), Loki decided to tell his family he would be heading to bed. They all nodded, wishing him a good day of birth and to sleep well. Loki turned himself invisible and hid behind his mother and father. "We must talk about Loki, it is urgent." His mother said in a hushed tone to his father.

"Alright, but not here. Someone might here." They both stood up, excusing themselves from everyone and went down to their bedroom. Loki went up ahead of them, entering their room before they did. He stood against the wall, out of the way, and listened intently. "Alright, tell me what he said."

"He said he didn't feel like he was part of the family, that he was different. He said he felt ice and mischief in his heart." His mother stared at his father with a stressed expression. He sat down on the bed.

"Thor mentioned Loki's feelings about this matter as well."

"Do you think he's figured it out? That we adopted him?"

"I sincerely hope not. I planned on telling him when he was older. I don't think he can take it at this age."

"You're right," Loki's body appeared from the wall, shocking both his parents. "I can't." He swiftly walked to the door, his parents calling after him. Or, the people he'd thought were his parents. He ran back to his room, his head down, not allowing anyone to see the tears in his eyes. He was stopped half way there by colliding with someone. He looked up to see his brother.

"Ah, brother! Are you alright?" Loki stared up at him, the tears falling over the brim and down his face. He pushed violently past Thor, and continued towards his bedroom. Once in there, he locked the door with an enchantment, climbing onto his bed and up to the window. He looked down from his window, seeing the long drop. He listened as his door was being shoved and pushed, trying to be broken into by his older brother and parents. With a mighty whack from Thor's hammer, the door was smashed to pieces and the three stood in the door way in horror as they watched their son and brother stare at them from the window. "No, Loki, don't…"

"Goodbye, Thor." Loki fell backwards out of the window and all three yelled in horror, Thor running over to the window. He looked down to see his brother falling. He hadn't transformed into anything; he was going to continue falling.

"NO!" Thor ran out of the room, out of the palace, running to the grounds where Loki would have fallen. It took him 20 minutes to get down there, trying to weave his way past the ever-too-close thorns threatening to cut through his skin. Once he got to the spot where Loki fell, he saw his brother, a mess on the floor. Thor ran over to him, holding his body, cradling it. He listened for a breath, he tested his pulses, but all he found was silence. Tears fell onto Loki's pale, lifeless face as Thor wept for his brother. Thor lent down and pressed his lips to Loki's. Suddenly, he felt the pressure returned on his own lips… Almost like he was being kissed back. He pulled back suddenly out of surprise, but Loki remained the same as he had before. Lifeless. As Thor left a small kiss on his forehead, he could have sworn that Loki was smiling slightly.

* * *

**Author's Note: I'm going to Berlin for a couple of days on a trip with my school, so unfortunately I won't be able to post again until about Thursday. Sorry guys, but thank you for all the follows and favourites for this story! It really means a lot! See you soon! x**


	5. Chapter 5

Loki's funeral was small and sentimental. The only people to attend were his 'family', as well as some of Thor's friends and other close members to the family. The Allfather had decided that Loki would be given a Midgardian send off - he would he placed in his finest clothing, laid down in a coffin and then dropped to Midgard itself. In Midgard tradition, the attendants wore black. There was an awkward silence as the whole family stood together before the coffin.

Thor had not yet forgiven his parents for lying to him and Loki; he had blamed Loki's fate on them entirely. Thor stepped forward and looked around at everyone. "Well, I feel like I am the only person here worthy of sending my brother off, so... You all know why we are here today. Loki, my brother, fell from the window of his bedroom and... And died after hearing some upsetting news." Thor glared over at his parents; his mother stared at the ground, his father keeping eye contact. "No matter what, Loki was my brother and still is, dead or alive, blood-related or not. I will always love him, and I feel the fire of an Odinson in my heart slowly burning out." Thor wiped a tear from his cheek, looking down at the decorated coffin. "Goodbye, brother. Goodbye, Loki." He rested a hand on top of the smooth wooden cover, his fingers tracing Loki's engraved name. He looked over at his father and nodded, closing his eyes. The Allfather stepped up before the coffin, resting a hand on it. He muttered words under his breath, and soon the coffin was surrounded by a whirlpool of air; carrying it up slowly, before throwing it harshly down to Midgard. The people lowered their heads together, holding each other's hands, as they thought about Loki Odinson.

* * *

"Thor Odinson, you have betrayed the express command of your king. Through your arrogance and stupidity, you have opened these peaceful realms and innocent lives to the horror and desolation of war! You are unworthy of these realms! You're unworthy of your TITLE! You are unworthy of the loved ones you have betrayed. I now take from you, your power! In the name of my father, and his father before, I, Odin Allfather, CAST YOU OUT!" As Thor was thrown backwards down to Midgard, he wondered if this is how his brother had felt when he had fallen to his death, all those years ago. As Thor landed on the hard ground, he heard voices of people shouting and screaming. Humans, puny annoying humans, he thought to himself.

* * *

After knowing these humans for barely a week, Thor had already grown used to them and become fond of them. They taught him of the ways of technology, such as... What were they called? Oh yes, mobile phones. They taught him about food and drink, about their culture, about different countries. ("Are they like separate planets?" "Um, no Thor. They're on the same planet, just different to this place...") Thor was even beginning to enjoy it there, yet he still longed for home. As he fell asleep on what Jane Foster had named a 'couch', he began to dream. He dreamt of his brother; more specifically, his funeral. He dreamt that, as the coffin fell to Midgard, his brother had called out for him. He had screamed his name even, which made Thor's stomach flip over like a circus act. (Jane had taken Thor to the circus; he'd very much enjoyed it.) Thor sat up, breathing heavily, a sweat forming on his brow. The flips had been replaced with an aching of sadness, longing for his dead brother. He would have given anything to see Loki grin in his mischievous way one more time.

* * *

"Jane?"

"Yes?" Jane stood at a stove, flipping pancakes. She had her back to Thor, who was sat down on the sofa, resting his head on his hands.

"How does a human get over grief?" Jane looked back at him then, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"For years, I have mourned the death of my brother from Asgard, but it has been a silent sadness in the corner of my mind. But last night... Last night I had a dream, I dreamt of his funeral. How his coffin had been thrown to Midgard. It brought the sadness back. I cannot stand it."

"Um... Well, humans would normally visit their grave, you know? Say goodbye... Get rid of their stuff, get rid of memories, try and forget about them if they were such a big impact."

"Why would they do that?"

"Because it hurts them so much."

"That is stupidity. Getting rid of their objects seems ridiculous."

"Well, a mixture of love and death do strange things to the mind."

Thor looked up at her, as if she had just spoken the words to fulfil his existence. "We must find Loki's grave."

"What?"

"It was dropped to Midgard, it will be here somewhere!"

* * *

**Author's Note: Hello! I'm back. I know this chapter is all set out a bit weird, changing from being on Asgard to Earth like that, I hope you don't mind. It was necessary for me to set the chapter out like this, I didn't want to spend tons of time going over what happened in the movie, so... Loki will return soon! Don't fret! **


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